Standalone ACD system with native signaling system 7 capability

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for exchanging control information between a automatic call distributor and a public switched telephone network. The method includes the steps of identifying a subscriber channel between the automatic call distributor and public switched telephone network for use during a communication transaction and exchanging control information regarding the identified data channel over any of a plurality of available control channel between the public switch telephone network and automatic call distributor using nonassociative signaling.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of exchanging control information between an automatic call distributor and a public switched telephone network, such method comprising the steps of: 
       identifying a subscriber channel between the automatic call distributor and public switched telephone network for use during a communication transaction; and  
       exchanging control information regarding the identified subscriber channel over one of a plurality of available, parallelly arranged control channels that together comprise a linkset between the public switched telephone network and automatic call distributor using nonassociative signaling.  
     
     
       2. A method of exchanging control information as in  claim 1  wherein the exchanging of control information further comprising using an ISUP protocol. 
     
     
       3. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 1  wherein the step of exchanging control information using nonassociative signaling further comprises retrieving an identifier of a signal path for the control information from a routing table based upon an intended destination of the exchanged control information. 
     
     
       4. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 1  further comprising composing the control information into packets. 
     
     
       5. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 4  further comprising packet switching the composed packets between the automatic call distributor and public switched telephone network through a signaling transfer point. 
     
     
       6. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 4  further comprising including a channel identifier of the identified subscriber channel in at least some exchanges of control information. 
     
     
       7. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 4  further comprising including an identifier of a transmission target of the control transmission in a header of the packets. 
     
     
       8. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 1  wherein the step of exchanging control information further comprising receiving an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor from the public switched telephone network. 
     
     
       9. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 8  wherein the step of receiving an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor from the public switched telephone network further comprises returning an address complete message. 
     
     
       10. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 1  wherein the step of exchanging control information further comprising transmitting an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor to the public switched telephone network. 
     
     
       11. The method of exchanging control information as in  claim 10  wherein the step of transmitting an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor from the public switched telephone network further comprises receiving an address complete message. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus for exchanging control information between an automatic call distributor and a public switched telephone network, such apparatus comprising: 
       means for identifying a subscriber channel between the automatic call distributor and public switched telephone network for use during a communication transaction; and  
       means for exchanging control information regarding the identified subscriber channel over one of a plurality of available, parallelly arranged control channels that together comprise a linkset between the public switched telephone network and automatic call distributor using nonassociative signaling.  
     
     
       13. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 12  wherein the means for exchanging control information further comprises means for using ISUP protocol. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 12  wherein the means for exchanging control information using nonassociative signaling further comprises means for retrieving an identifier of a signal path of the control information from a routing table based upon an intended destination of the exchanged control information. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 12  further comprising means for composing the control information into packets. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 15  further comprising means for packet switching the composed packets between the automatic call distributor and public switched telephone network through a signaling transfer point. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 15  further comprising means for including a channel identifier of the identified subscriber channel in at least some exchanges of control information. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 15  further comprising means for including an identifier of a transmission target of the control transmission in a header of the packets. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 12  wherein the means for exchanging control information further comprises means for receiving an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor from the public switched telephone network. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 19  wherein the means for receiving an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor from the public switched telephone network further comprises means for returning an address complete message. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 12  wherein the means for exchanging control information further comprises means for transmitting an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor to the public switched telephone network. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 21  wherein the means for transmitting an initial addressing message by the automatic call distributor from the public switched telephone network further comprises means for receiving an address complete message. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 12  further comprising a packet processor adapted to compose the control information into packets. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 23  further comprising a routing processor adapted to include an identifier of a transmission target of the control transmission in a header of the packets. 
     
     
       25. Apparatus for exchanging control information between an automatic call distributor and a public switched telephone network, such apparatus comprising: 
       a switch controller which identifies a subscriber channel between the automatic call distributor and public switched telephone network for use during a communication transaction;  
       a plurality of parallelly arranged control channels that together comprise a linkset between the automatic call distributor and the public switched telephone network; and  
       a communication processor which exchanges control information regarding the identified subscriber channel over one of the plurality of control channels between the public switched telephone network and automatic call distributor using nonassociative signaling.  
     
     
       26. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 25  wherein the communication processor comprising a protocol converter adapted to use an ISUP protocol. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus for exchanging control information as in  claim 25  wherein the communication processor which exchanges the control information further comprises a routing processor adapted to retrieve an identifier of the signal path from a routing table based upon an intended destination of the exchanged control information.